Offside in the Bay: 2 the Pitch and Beyond

From West Virginia to the Bay: Cailin Mullins on Why Junior College Soccer Deserves a Second Look

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In this episode of Offside in the Bay: To the Pitch and Beyond, Claudine Wong and Alex Lobban sit down with Cailin Mullins, head women’s soccer coach at Diablo Valley College. From her unlikely start as a young girl playing on boys’ teams in West Virginia, to competing in the ACC against legends like Mia Hamm, to coaching at Stanford and ultimately leading a junior college program, Cailin shares insights on resilience, opportunity, and why the junior college path can be a powerful choice for soccer athletes.

What You’ll Hear

  • [00:01:22] Growing up in West Virginia and playing multiple sports before focusing on soccer.
  • [00:02:36] Choosing the goalkeeper position — and the unique mindset it requires.
  • [00:04:06] Competing on boys’ teams until 16, and how a loss became a turning point.
  • [00:06:13] Mentorship from a Chilean coach and early goalkeeper training.
  • [00:07:26] Breaking into college soccer before Title IX’s full impact.
  • [00:08:56] Starting all four years at Maryland and facing future soccer icons.
  • [00:10:13] Changing majors to balance academics with athletics.
  • [00:11:22] How time demands for student-athletes have increased over the decades.
  • [00:14:53] Moving to California to join Stanford’s coaching staff.
  • [00:15:49] Finding a passion for coaching — and why she eventually chose the junior college level.

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    Offside in the Bay: 2 the Pitch and BeyondBy KTVU Fox 2 (Bay Area)